The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-10-06
THE NEW COMMANDER.

John F. Rea was born Oct. 13. 1910. in Lower
Oxford township, Chester county, Pa. His
father owned a woolen factory, and he passed
tember. 1850: when he went to Piqua, Ohio,
where he-taught school. When the war broke
out he promptly enlisted and became a member
served with this regiment four months and was
then commissioned as second lieutenant of
Company I. First Ohio cavalry: promoted to
first lieutenant March IL. 1862, and in April of
the following year to the rank OF captain. and
was breveted major. He served in the regiment
three years and four Months, and was absent
on sick leave; After returning from the war he
entered the Wesleyan college, at Delaware, Ohio,
and IN ;,s g1sdueitssss II nnr the t classical Saaat,o course Sc
1866, he entered The office Of Hon.
o. J. Dickey of Lancaster, Pa, as q law student,
and was admitted to the bar there in August,
anu in March, 1869, was appointed one Of three
noraries public in Lancaster by Gov. Geary, but
April IL, 1859, was appointed assessor Of inter-
nal rsyen of P by psssiaens Grant, Grant d d9r the be N haf6
until it was abolished by law in 1873. In 1859
he was married to Miss Emma Gould Of Ohio.
They have no children. He continued racticing
law in Lancaster until December, 1875, when he
removed to Minneapolis. His cousin, John A.
Rea, now of Bismarck, was at that time actively
ENGAGED in newspaper work IN Minneapolis; and
dryx and Charles =. Hendryx, Judge Rea and
John A, Rea purchased the Tribune, and the sub
1eCt OF this sketch became the edltOr-1n-Ch1ef
In May, 1876, a controlling interest in theTrib-
me. then a morning paper, was purchased by
the PIONEERP PRESS and converted into an even
Ing paper. Judge Rea, q minority stakeholder,
continued as editor until May. 1877, when he
RESUMED H PRACTICE OF LAW
and became a member of the firm OF Rea, Hooker
& Woolley. This firm was subsequently changed
and became Rea, Woolley 4 Kltohell. and subse-
quently Rea. Kitchell & Shaw. In November,
1877. he was elected Judge OF probate. and
served for four years with conspicuous ability.
He continued his relationship. however, with the
firm had. probably, the largest practice of any
In the city. In April, 1886, Judge Koon re-
signed his seat on the bench of the district court
of this district. and in response to the very gen.
eral wish Of the Hennepin county bar Gov. Hub
bard appointed Judge Rea. He now adorns that
position Of honor and responsibility. Judge Rea
has always been prominent In the Grand Army
He is q member and past commander OF George
N. Morgan post. and his voice Ia always heard
on any occasion where the interests Of the old
soldier are involved. He lie q forcible public
speaker, infusing pathos and power into his
utterances. He is :. thorough going Republican,
and has always taken an active interest In poll
tics, but his il not offensive partisanship, and
the necessity of excluding political matters
from the realm Of the G. A. r. is with him q car
dinal principle. He has already held the posi-
ton Ut senior vice commander of the national
organization. Personally he is one of the most
genial of men, and he is the last man In the
world to injure another's feelings in any way.
The result ia, he has a host of friends to rejoice
over his latest and greatest honor and no eAe-
mics to lament the event.